A personal bugbear of mine, given I have several friends from Russia and most of my family on my other half’s side speak Russian. I’ve also just finished Navalny’s book, which is excellent.
Don’t get me wrong, Putin and his bunch of cronies in the Kremlin are a bunch of cunts. They’ve raped and plundered Russia since the late 1990s. In doing so, they’ve deprived her long-suffering people of a good standard of living.
HOWEVER, the way we treat your average Russian is appalling. I’m up for sanctioning bastards of whatever ilk for being bastards, but the way the West treats your regular Vanya or Svetlana is appalling by cutting them off from travel, making them jump through hoops to get visas, blocking their bank cards etc, is nothing short of abuse.
Then there’s the demonisation of Russia. Question the EU and its suicidal energy and social policies? You’re a Kremlin stooge. Don’t throw your full weight behind the war in Ukraine and would rather see your taxes spent improving your own country ? You’re a Russian imperialist AND apologist. So on, and so forth.
Don’t get me wrong. Vlad’s incursion into Ukraine shouldn’t have happened. Neither should have the West’s continued poking of The Bear since the early/mid-2000s.
… AND yet despite your average Russian being generally well-educated, God fearing, and decent, we in the West roll out the red carpet for the Camel Enthusiasts and Chocolate Faces, who continue to massively enrich our societies.
I dunno about you, but I’d rather live next to Ivan than Abdul. Or UmBongo.
Nominated by Cuntis Cuntis.